The Unheralded Pandemic: Death-by-Queue
Though more Americans are insured, wait times for medical care are so long that people die waiting for technically possible medical care unavailable in time to save them.
Mary began to experience abdominal pain but ignored it for several months. When she finally told me, I said, “I’m your husband, not your physician. Please go see her.”
Mary called the doctor’s office. After 40 minutes working her way through the confusing, circular, and interminable phone tree, she got the next available appointment – seven months in the future.
When she finally did see her primary care physician, the diagnosis was inoperable pancreatic cancer. Twenty-two months later, my college sweetheart and wife of 54 years died. Might things have been different if she had been seen two years earlier?
Though more Americans are insured, wait times for medical care are so long that people die waiting for technically possible medical care unavailable in time to save them.
Death-by-queue is particularly true for those with government-provided or government-supported insurance.
Fixing death-by-queue is both simple and politically radioactive: remove Washington from control of healthcare, as mandated by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Reestablish direct connection of patients with their preferred physicians. Stop third parties from making medical and financial decisions for individuals. This will restore patients’ medical autonomy: their freedom to choose.
Direct Primary Care business (which is 10% brick & mortar and 90% virtual) is booming for only one reason – Quick same day or next day access to care.
Virtual Direct Primary Care (with no brick & mortar clinic) business is growing even faster because it’s 1/5 the cost (80% less in cost).
Both can catch early signs of impending death and delay the inevitable.
